Jul 14 2026

Pasta A’ La Chef Recipe

Time30m
Serves4

Gemelli pasta with tomato cream sauce, peas, carrots & ham. A Licari family secret.

Was this page helpful?

Help improve this recipe for others.

Send this recipe to your inbox.

We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.

Ingredients

Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Pasta

Vegetables & Ham

Method

Pasta Preparation

  1. 1

    Cook the Pasta

    In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil. Add 8 cups of Gemelli pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.

Sauce Preparation

  1. 2

    Sauté Garlic

    In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add 3 minced garlic cloves and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.

  2. 3

    Add Tomato Sauce

    Pour in 2 cups of tomato sauce and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  3. 4

    Stir in Heavy Cream

    Add 1 cup of heavy cream to the skillet, mixing well. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of black pepper. Stir and let simmer for another 5 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken slightly.

  4. 5

    Incorporate Parmesan

    Add in 1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese and stir until melted and well combined.

Combine Ingredients

  1. 6

    Add Vegetables and Ham

    To the sauce, add 1 cup of frozen peas, 1 cup of diced carrots, and 1 cup of diced ham. Stir everything together and cook for an additional 5 minutes until the vegetables are heated through.

  2. 7

    Combine with Pasta

    Finally, add the drained Gemelli pasta to the skillet. Toss everything together until the pasta is evenly coated with the sauce and all ingredients are well mixed.

Serving

  1. 8

    Serve

    Serve hot, garnished with additional Parmesan cheese if desired.

More from Licari's Sicilian Pizza Kitchen-No.1